Vanderbilt Cup Races

Very interesting read about Mr. Davis, a man that was certainly ahead of his time. I’ve been driving for 30 yrs now, and drove close to 350,000 miles at this point. And I’m up to my 5th car!

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

There’s an earlier connection between Sperry and the Long Island Motor Parkway. Sperry tested the first “cruise missile”, the Sperry Aerial Torpedo, on the parkway during WWI.

“Sperry’s assistant, N. W. Dalton, was able to get his hands on a newfangled Marmon automobile, so the team strapped the Flying Bomb to the car’s roof and sped down the Long Island Motor Parkway at 80 mph to calibrate and optimize the flight controls.”

http://gizmodo.com/this-flying-bomb-failure-was-americas-wwi-cruise-missi-1184824802
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From Howard Kroplick

Ike, here is a link to my post on the Sperry Cruise Missile:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_role_of_the_motor_parkway_in_the_development_of_the_cruise_missile

From Mystery Foto #28 Solved: The Sperry Gyroscope Plant in Lake Success on September 27, 1952

Hi Howard:

  Hats off to you again and again and I salute you again and again….

      May God Bless you and keep you always !!!!

          Cheers and Best !!!  Cordially and Fraternally,  Ron Ridolph

From Charles Davis, the Good Roads Everywhere Movement and Long Island Motor Parkway License Plate #25

After comparing 1926 aerials with current ones, it appears that this bridge extended between #19 and 20, or #23 and 24 Satellite La, Levittown. I won’t be offended if anyone believes differently.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #41: The Bloomingdale Road Bridge in Hempstead Plains

Came back to correct myself. I previously stated that if the Robbins Lane Pkwy Bridge still existed, it would be in the R/O #30 and 31 Robbins Dr. The bridge would actually be in the R/O #19 and 23 Robbins Dr.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#23 Roslyn Road Parkway Bridge in East Williston

This comment is intended for the 11/7/12 blog LIMP bridge series #24 Robbins La Pkwy bridge. I’ve been poking around the ” lrv.nassaucounty.gov ” website, the land record viewer has 1926 and 1950 Nassau County aerial maps, displaying our favorite pkwy of course. This pkwy bridge is about 0.9 miles E/O Roslyn Rd ( which ends up being the R/O #30 and 31 Robbins Dr, which is also where the existing LIMP roadbed is “severed”). Your footage estimate is on mark, Joe Oesterle. Like I mentioned before, working for LIPA at the time; I’ve walked down that driveway many times towards the water district inspecting the towers, etc. Could never resist the urge to scale the slope upwards to the LIMP roadbed. I guess the residents didn’t want a bridge in their backyards. If I lived there, so would this bridge.

From Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series:#23 Roslyn Road Parkway Bridge in East Williston

Hey - I got the year right!  I still like my response best but - OMG - those decorations!  Whooie!  Nice to be filthy rich with all kinds of retainers to do the cars up brown for you.  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

I was wondering if this is the Perry Loskamp from cooper st in Babylon

From The 2014 Annual Ford Employee Product Development Center Car and Truck Show

From Florence Ogg:

If I remember the correctly the photo of the Vanderbilts in a car was taken in Newport at an annual event with many other decorated cars. Somewhere in the SCVM archives there is a photo in one of the albums of that event including the photo shown. Good luck.
Florence

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

Identify the husband and wife: Willie K. and wife, Virginia Graham Fair
What event was captured in the photo?: Newport Automobile Parade
What is the date of the photo? September 7, 1899
Bonus: Identify the automobile: Locomobile

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

Good one Bruce! Couldn’t find out too much for this one. Just taking a wild stab at it and I’m not very confident on the guess…

Willie K Vanderbilt Jr. and his first wife Virginia Birdie Graham Fair maybe sometime around their wedding in 1899, -judging by the car, floral decorations and how young they look. (Although their wedding was on a Sunday and not a Friday)
Willie K did like Mercedes/Daimler at the time and it looks like it could possibly be an early Daimler.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

Could that be Willie K. and his first wife Virginia (Birdie) at the re-opening of the “Idle Hour” estate in 1901, having been rebuilt after the fire of 1899? The car might be a Renault.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

Looks like taken in Newport RI about 1899 or so car un known   too many flowers.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

wow nice cars the 67 midengine mach 2 reminds me of the pontiac fiero that came out in the 1980’s. the 65 4 door would of sold to the public as another great mustang. the split window mustang was kind of dumb as the corvette’s rear window had to do with the shape of the contour body. i heard that some people updated their 63 vettes with a 64 window but never saw one.  i stupidly converted my Aroura slot race car and now it ruined its value as a toy.  stupid is stupid does but who knew better in those old days as did the people at ford goofed too.

From Ford Performance Manager John Clor: Mustangs that Never Were

Great photo!  I’ll bet the car owners loved putting those new license plates on their chariots!  They officially owned the newest things,,,,, an automobile!

From Mystery Foto #30 Solved: Krug's Hotel in Mineola Circa 1912 Revised 7/26/2016

Easy- it’s Jack {Petal to the Metal) Inthepulpit and his wife Daisy (née Floradora) in their 1898 Car-Nation at the 30 Feb 1899 Rose Bowl parade.  I don’t have the stamena to continue.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

I am all but certain that the man in this photo is Alonzo “A.C.” Webb. There is a widely held belief the car raced only once - by Fisher in a minor support race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in November 1905. This is not true. Nearly lost to history is the reality that Webb drove the car in competition - and won - a year later at the same track. He also broke a track record previously held by Barney Oldfield. Here is a link to a post on my Web site as well as another copy of the same photo. It was published in the Indianapolis Star on October 18, 1906. http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/photo-gallery/webb-fishers-premier

From The Premier Vanderbilt Cup Racer that Never Raced

Husband and wife?  Right now, no clue. 
Event?  I will guess a marriage
Date?  1903
Bonus?  1903 Curved Dash Olds

Hopefully I trip over something in time, but it’s not looking good.

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

I’ve seen this picture before,but don’t remember what the event was for. The car looks like a horseless carriage. I thought I’d do this now,while I’ve got time.I don’t know what’s going on this weekend yet

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile

From Ariejan Bos:

Today’s mystery made me wander around a little at first and I was not very hopeful until a lucky shot guided me into the right direction. Above the articles from The Automobile Magazine (October 1899) and from The Horseless Age (Sept. 20 1899).

The mystery photo shows William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., and his wife Mrs. Vanderbilt (Virginia Graham Fair) during the floral parade on September 8, 1899 in Newport, Rhode Island. He is driving a Locomobile steamer. Prizes were awarded for speed, decoration and skillful driving. It will not be surprising that Vanderbilt won the award for speed! It may seem incredible now that The Automobile Magazine spent 13 pages on a description of this event, however it gives a good insight in the way the automobile landed in high society circles and what they used it for in the very beginning!

Regards,
Ariejan

From Mystery Foto #31 Solved: Willie K and Birdie Vanderbilt at the 1899 Newport Parade in a Locomobile